Agricultural Specialist

Agricultural Specialist
                                                                                                                                                                               
Based in Phoenixville, PA, Trellis for Tomorrow is a nonprofit that delivers experiential programs in organic gardening, environmental education, and food security that provide practical and behavioral life skills for youth and adults. Serving the greater Philadelphia area, our aim is to foster compassion and resilience in people and inspire them to build sustainable communities.
                        
Our youth development programs provide a variety of learning and work experiences, entrepreneurial training, and structured leadership opportunities for teens and young adults. Trellis also offers programs that engage more than 20 local organizations and their constituents in impactful volunteer initiatives, most notably our Food for All program which helps to build sustainable communities through guided stewardship of organic gardens where food is grown for neighbors in need.  For more information and detail on our mission, values, and programming, please visit www.trellis4tomorrow.org.  
 
The following job description is for a position within our Programs Team and will contribute substantively to the aims detailed above.
 
Job Description:
The Agricultural Specialist position is a part-to-full-time, hourly position that reports to the Agricultural Manager and coordinates/works closely with the Programs Team. The ideal candidate has demonstrated experience in garden work and sustainable agriculture practices, is good with basic construction tools, is personable and able to build community connections, is a capable communicator and is comfortable leading groups in a range of circumstances, environments, and conditions. 
 
The Agricultural Specialist is a critical support role to our greenhouse and garden operations, providing hands-on assistance during garden builds, installations, and similar projects, and contributing to the ongoing maintenance work within our Food for All and SEED Skill network of gardens. In addition to providing this tactical support, this role also contributes to the training of program participants in best practices for thriving gardens.
 
This role is largely outdoor and garden-based work, sometimes working alongside teammates within Trellis or volunteers, but also working alone with set tasks to accomplish. This is a vital on-the-ground position which requires someone who is capable, motivated, positive, and who can produce quality garden-based work efficiently. Some weekend hours are expected. 
 
PRIMARY JOB RESPONSIBLITIES

• Participate in garden builds, plantings, and select activities at partner garden sites
• Contribute to greenhouse operations and activities: seeding, watering, potting up, etc.
• Assess irrigation systems for proper functioning, repair damaged components
• Work independently or with others while performing garden maintenance activities within our Food for All and SEED Skills network of gardens
• Development or curation of materials to add to Trellis’s catalogue of partner resources
• Provide troubleshooting and tactical gardening advice while fostering positive connections
• Responsible for review and research of best practices in community garden management, small-scale sustainable agriculture, and innovations in the field

• Demonstrated experience in relevant areas preferred
• Solid understanding of sustainable agricultural practices and techniques
• Basic construction skills, familiarity and comfort with power tools
• Excellent verbal communication and interpersonal skills
• Comfort working outdoors in all weather conditions a must
• Proficient with Microsoft Office including Word, Excel and PowerPoint. Comfortable learning new applications and using new technology generally

• Achievement Motivation – Drive and commitment to succeed, goal oriented
• Accountability/Locus of Control - Responsibility for one’s own success or failure
• Organization/Time Management - Effective prioritization during unsupervised work 
• Communication (oral and written) - Ability to articulate well and be easily understood  
• Emotional Stability/Adaptability – Ability to function effectively even when faced with uncertainty or stressful situations. Able to adjust as new information surfaces 
• Connector - Ability to comfortably build genuine connections with youth and adults from diverse racial, ethnic, socioeconomic and gender backgrounds